Received May 11, 2020
Accepted November 20, 2020

ABSTRACT This study is aimed at investigating the effect of Tartrazine and Erythrosine on the serum reproductive hormones and expression of some Testicular genes in testis of male rats. Total of 25 male Wistar rats were used for the experiment and were divided randomly into 5 groups with group 1 as control fed with feed and water only and groups 2,3,4 and 5 fed with 2.5mg/kg, 5mg/kg, 10mg/kg and 20mg/kg of combine mixture of Tartrazine and Erythrosine respectively. At the end (23 days), the testis was harvested and was used for gene expression assay. The result revealed significant (p<0.05) increase in serum concentration of reproductive hormones (FSH, LH and Testosterone) in fed rats. There was up regulation of interleukin-1in rats fed with 2.5mg/kg and down-regulated in rats fed with 5mg/kg, 10mg/kg and 20mg/kg compared with control, interleukin-1 β and LH-R were up-regulated in colorants fed rats compared to control, testicular protein kinase-1 and tumor necrotic factor; showed up-regulation in rats fed with 2.5mg/kg, 5mg/kg and 10mg/kg and down-regulated in rats fed with 20mg/kg compared to control. Also up-regulation of FSH-R was seen in rats fed with 5mg/kg and down-regulated in rats fed with 2.5mg/kg, 10mg/kg and 20mg/kg compared to control. Histology of testes (H&E) did not showed slight tissue distortion. The results indicate that the dyes could impair testicular function as it down regulates IL-1 which could make the tissue susceptible to inflammation which may lead to Orchitis.